Kefine is one of the new brands that are on the rise. They make bang for buck budget offerings housing uncomplicated driver setups. Their first product was a planar based IEM Klanar which received plenty of love for its musical signature and comfortable presentation, so did their next IEM Delci. Delci though got a single 10 mm DLC-PU diaphragm and was a more fun and V shaped IEM. The only complaint people had with the Delci was its slight lack of resolution and balanced cable options.
And here we are with the Kefine Delci AE. Made in collaboration with Angel Ears, this is a more balanced offering with a slightly better cable and option for balanced termination. Priced at $75 -90 this comes in only one color, silver and has 2 set of tuning filter to tweak the output. I will compare it with Sound Rhyme SP01 and Sivga Que.
I will like to Thank Collin for this unit.
Get one from these links:
For Indian Buyers:
UNBOXING AND ACCESSORIES:
We get a straightforward unboxing experience here. Open the box and we have the ear pieces stuffed in foam while the carry case with all the accessories inside, is placed under it. We do not get anything fancy here. There are 6 pair of tips and an additional tuning filter placed inside the carry case along with the cable.
BUILD QUALITY AND ERGONOMICS:
We get a silver Aviation grade aluminum shell made with precision of a 5 axis CNC machine. The best thing is its neither heavy nor big while the SP01 is smaller its heavy and the Que is neither of these. We do not get a semi custom type shell but the shell is ergonomically designed to fit most ears. Interestingly we get two vents on the inner shell and the nozzle filter looks nice!!
Build quality is very good and it feels sturdy. The nozzle could have been a bit longer but thanks to the light weight it is easier to handle and feels stable inside the ears. There isn’t a lot to discuss about the design but I am happy with its simplicity.
PAIRING WITH SOURCES:
Delci AE is a bit sensitive to pairing, it’s not about the signature but synergy. It doesn’t need power but it prefers matching of PRAT. I tried it with Hip DAC 2 and somehow the output was a less natural and slightly dry which is totally unlike what the Hip DAC 2 usually do while the pairing with Hidizs S8 pro is a lot more natural and effortless. DDhifi TC44 Pro E2 sounds fantastic too.
Pair it with the source you have and if you feel it’s a bit dry, switch to the silver filters, easy.
CABLE:
We get a very good looking dual core litz clear cable with mixed cores. In their words:
“Crafted with precision, this interchangeable cable features 164 wire cores composed of 0.05mm OFC Copper and 0.06mm Silver-plated wire, ensuring a crystal-clear, transparent sound. With universal 2-pin 0.78mm connectors and 3.5mm or 4.4mm termination options, your audio connection is as pure and seamless as a pristine stream, enhancing every note and nuance of your favorite tracks”
I like the way this cable behaves. It’s supple and soft to the touch. It has no memory issues, not bouncy either and no microphonics to worry about. Parts used on the cable are of good quality. The 2pin connectors, 3.5mm jack and Y splitter have metal jackets and they look nice. I won’t call this elegant but it does compliment the looks of the IEM.
SOUND QUALITY:
We have experienced the quality of this 10mm DLC+PU diaphragm DD in OG Delci but AE has better balance and excellent extension at both ends. We have two tuning filters too. Most impressive improvements are with the robust and solidarity of notes. Unlike the Delci that kind of felt a bit less grounded with slightly less defined floor, AE has excellent clarity, one of the best balance and definition under $100. It still has a bit of W shaped signature but it’s barely pronounced. We get a handsome bass but everything else is as neutral as it gets. I will label this as a neutral sounding IEM while the tonality and timber are colorless and slightly on the precise side.
FILTERS:
We get two set of nozzle filters and they aren’t totally different from each other. Most of the changes are at the mids and highs. I didn’t find the golden nozzle to be aggressive or thin at all. To me, it has taller notes and a bit more treble stage expansion.
I am using stock grey tips, golden nozzle and Hidizs S8 pro for this review.
BASS:
Kefine has tuned this 10mm DD to near perfection. First thing that catches my attention is it’s dynamic abilities. If a track doesn’t have heavy hits, slow bass or sub-bass notes it delivers one of the cleanest mid to upper bass notes. Its ability to control wooly and muddiness is exceptional.
Oh don’t worry, Delci AE doesn’t lack sub-bass extension or rumble either, I was impressed the way it handled the slower deeper sub-bass notes in “Drake – Proud of you”. We get one of the best extension and very good rumble but this lower end is driven by the mid bass. It’s not bloated but it has the higher definition and resolution. We get very good body, weight and big area of impact but it’s the accurate decay speed, one of the best layered delivery and textured notes makes it special. This is not a bass-head IEM or but can be a bassy one but it’s an aptly accurate and clean sounding IEM. There is no softer ending to bass notes but if the track has heavy hits, Delci has enough dynamics to let the driver loose!!
MIDS:
Delci AE has a slightly W shaped signature but I have to admit that this has one of the best mid range clarity under $100. What I love the most is the balance. We get a W shaped signature but the dips aren’t deep and the pop with vocals aren’t exaggerated, giving Delci AE a fairly balanced presentation. I love the fact that unlike the OG, AE doesnt cramp instruments for air. I like the fact that even when this IEM has a bit of hard edged, square type notes without much rounded feeling, none aren’t uncomfortable or over aggressive. We get very good transparency, nice micro details and clarity. Unlike a few popular other DD it has very good consistency and finishing definition and accuracy. Tonality and timber are dead neutral too.
Vocals as I mentioned earlier do have slight bit of pop and have one of the best transparency, resolution and definition under $100. We get very good texture too. I would have loved a bit fuller and throatier notes. Both male and female vocals are a bit on the tighter and precise side.
HIGHS:
Unlike the slightly loosely packed OG delci, with the AE we get agile and lively presentation much better clarity and transparency. The biggest improvements with the highs are the extra energy and clarity with the upper treble region giving this IEM one of the best extensions. Lower and mid treble too enjoy very good definition, right amount of sparkle and transparency. It doesn’t lack air between instruments thanks to accurate and precise instrument placement. Layering isn’t the best but we get very good separation.
STAGE AND IMAGING:
We get a bigger than average stage which has good expansion in every direction with a nicely rounded. It has very good height and nice width too. Instruments are mostly placed near the head but there are no clumsy or less airy feelings to worry about. We get evenly distributed notes and no part of the spectrum feels busy. We get very good imaging, its accuracy and precision is much better than Sivga Que and Sound Rhyme SP01. Sonics are very good with nice transient effect with very dynamic.
COMPARISON:
VS Sivga Que:
Que is a warmer and fun sounding IEM with a mellow and smoother texture. It has similar bass dynamics and depth but Kefine has better definition and layered delivery. Mid range is totally different, pick the Que if you like a lot of cohesion and fuller notes. It’s slower decay and well separated notes create a unique imaging while Delci AE is more about accuracy and precision with better clarity and transparency. Highs are different too but both have very good extension. while the Que is docile and calm with good details and air between instruments, Delci AE is a lot more agile with taller, more transparent notes. Both have similar stage size but if you power the Que nicely it has a more rounded stage while Delci AE is slightly taller at distance. Que though has very good Z-axis presence while the Delci AE is a bit more flatter.
VS Sound Rhyme SP01:
Similarly priced with tuning nozzles but SP01 is a bassy IEM which lacks dynamics and variation. Has slower decay and lacks control. It has very good rumble and similar sub-bass depth. Mid range is a bit fuller and less aggressive with a bit more texture. Finishing definition and resolution is better with Delci AE. Delci AE might feel a bit tiring. SP01 is a bit less agile and less defined floor with treble notes. It has decent air between instruments but Delci AE is much better here. Both have similar staging but Delci AE is cleaner with more accurate imaging.
Here is my comparison video of these 3 IEMs:
VS Kefine Delci (OG):
CONCLUSION:
I was impressed with the Delci but it wasn’t flawless. Kefine heard the suggestions and here we have the improved version with better clairty, excellent definition and resolution. Best thing is its consistency. It has similar finishing energy and transparency across the mid and treble region.
So the question is, is this better than the OG Delci? The short answer is yes, this is more transparent and detailed with improved dynamics and precision. Along with the improved SQ we get better cable, different paint, tuning nozzles and slightly different tips too. But opt for the OG Delci if you want warmer fuller, softer, less aggressive notes.
This is it guys!! Thank you for your time, enjoy your music!!
One Response
Hi thank you for this review. What do you prefer for termination on the Delci AE; the 3,5 mm or 4,4 mm cable. I want to use the Delci AE in combination with de iBasso Macaron Dongle Dac which has both possibilities.